Combined hydraulic clutch and transmission mechanism



oct. 21 1924. 1,512,538

A. E. HOLBROOK `COMBINBD HYDRAULIC CLUTCH AND. TRANSMISSION." MEQHANISM Filed July 17, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l E 1Q K5 1 l1 Q Q m y 1 m 51 I L v I 1' 1 l i i 1 114 I I N j l l i l' 1 1 l I 1 l 1 1 I 1 1 I 1 11 1 Iy 11|-- 1 ,11 I l l 1 l y I A! i 1 l I I l -1 w 1 Lk Y" I N v f N N f [n 1 Y N OQ u it qw w ELN 1 Q,

INVENTOR Oct. 21 1924. 1,512,538 I A. E. HoLBROoK COMBINED HYDRAULIC CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed'July 17, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 D 5 A. 5 How/00k ZN VEN TOR Fatented Get. Z1, 1924.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR E. HOLBROOK, OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI.

COMBINED HYDRAULIC CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

Application filed Jul?)r 17, 1922. Serial No. 575,513.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. HoLBRooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joplin, Missouri, have invented a certain newY and useful Improvement in Combined Hydraulic Clutch and Transmission Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains tok make. and use the same.

This invention relates to devices such as clutches that are used for connecting a driving member to a driven member' and also Another object is to provide a hydraulic apparatus that can be used as a transmission mechanism, which permits the driven member to -be operated at an infinite number of speeds.

And still another object is to provide a combined 'hydraulic clutclr and variable speed transmission mechanism lthat is inexpensive to manufacture and of such de'- sign that it is not apt to get out of order when in use.

To this end I have devised an apparatus that comprises a driving1 member and a driven member arranged preferably one Within` the other, a space or recess in one of said members that is adapted to contain a hydraulic medium, and one or more devices on the other member that are adapted to enter said space and coi-operate With the hydraulic medium therein to transmit movement from the driving member to the driven member.V Means is provided for trapping the hydraulic medium in said space when it is desired to have the driven member operate in unison with or at the same speed as the driving' member, and in the preferred form of my invention as herein illustrated said means is so constructed that the hydraulic medium can be caused to escape from said space either rapidly or slowly When it is desired to disconnect the driven member from the driving member or have said duren member sperati@ slower .Speed than the driving member. The uses for which my apparatus is adapted are too numerous to attempt to enumerate, but the apparatus is particularly adapted for use in a power-operated vehicle for transmitting motion from the engine to the driving Wheels of the vehicle, in that it performs the dual function of a clutch and transmission mechanism and provides a greater range, in the variation in speed of the driven member than is possible with the conventional transmission mechanisms now in general use. The particular details of construction of the apparatus are immaterial, so far as'my broad idea is concerned, and While I vhave herein illustrated Vmy invention embodied in an apparatus in Which the driving member surrounds the driven member and is provided With a recess through Which radially-disposed devices on the driven member travel when the controlling means for the hydraulic medium is in a condition topermit said hydraulic medium to escape from said recess, I Wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited to an apparatus of the particular construction herein illustrated. The member in which the recessv above referred to is formed may be provided With any number of recesses or spaces for receiving the hydraulic medium, and the other member of the apparatus may be provided with any desired number of devices of any preferred construction for compressing or exerting pressure on the hydraulic medium in said recess or recesses. The means that is used for trapping the hydraulic medium in the space or spaces previously referred to when it is desired to have the driven member operate at the same speed as the driving,- member, is herein illus- @trated as a valve that lcan be adjusted in such a Way as to permit said hydraulic medium to escape at different rates from said recess or recesses When it is desired to havethe driven member operate at a slower speed than the driving' member, but the particular construction of the hydraulic controlling means is immaterial, so far as my broad idea is concerned.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevational vieiv, partly in vertical section, of a combined hydraulic clutch and transmission mechanism constructed in accordance With my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 3 3 ot Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates a case or housing composed preferably of a stationary portion 1 provided wit-h brackets f2 that are adapted to be secured to a supporting structure and a removable portion or cap piece 3 that is detachably connected to said stationary portion l by fastening devices fl, as shown in Figure l. A driving member B, which preferably consists of a hollow Cylindrical member, is rotatably mounted in the housing A. between the end wall la of said housing and a stationary, transversely-disposed partition 5 in said housing, said driving member being rigidly connected to a drive shaft B orfother source oft power that rotates in a bearing 6 of any suitable type mounted inasleeve on the rear wall of the housing. The Vdrijven member C 'of the apparatus consists ol a substantially cylindrical-shaped member rotatably mounted in the hollow driving member B and provided with one or :fi plurality ot devices D that are adapted to co-'operate with a hydraulic medium vcontained in 'a recess or recesses E on the interior of the driving member to transmit motion from the driving member to the driven member. In the apparatus herein illustrated the driving member B is provided Yon its inner side with a l'ongitudinally-'disposed recess 'E of 'substantially hyperbolic 'to-rm in transverse cross section, and the de- 4vices D on Vthe 'driven member C consist of longitudinally-disposed blades slidingly mounted in radially-disposed slots in the driven member C and backed up by springs -8 which force said blades upwardly into the recess E `in the driving member7 as shown in Figure 8, when said blades come into alignment with said recess.

The stationary partition `5 in the housing A -is provided with numerous ports or orilice's ol an preferred shape that extend circumferentially around same, as shown in Figure 2, and means is provided for closing and varying the `effective area of said ports so as to trap the hydraulic medium in the recess E or permit said hydraulic medium to escape from said recess either slowly or rapidly when said hydraulic medium is subjected to pressure from one of the blades D, caused by the movement of the driving member relatively to the driven member. The means herein illustrated :tor controlling the hydraulic medium consists of an oscilla-ting valve F arranged in sliding engagement with the partition 5 land provided with ports or orices 9a that are adapted to be brought into registration with the ports 9 in said partition by turning said valve. The solid portions of said valvc intermediate the orifices 9Z1 therein serve as closures i'for the ports 9 in the portion when said valve is in a certain position, Any suitable means can bc used for turning the valve l", such, for example, as an operating shaft l() mounted in the cap piece 3 ot the housingr and provided with a pinion 1,11 that meshes with a rack 1Q on the valve. The space between the partition 5 and the end ot the cap 3 of the housing serves as a chamber (ir tor oil or any other suitable hydraulic nicdium, thereby pcrn'iitting the hydraulic medium to pass into the recess E in the driving member or escape from said recess back into said chamber when the ports 9 in the par- `tition 5 are open. said chamber (l being provided with a lling opening normally closed by a plug 8 so as to enable said chamber to be filled with oil or the like. The valve F is held in snug engagement with thc partition 5 by a means heroin illustrated :is composed ot two members ll and li :idjustably connected together and intcrjxiscd between the valve F and the end of the cap piece il. said members lf3 and 14 being rctained in adjusted relation by a lock nut 'lo ant'l'thc member 1S having a portion that surrounds a shalt C secured to the driven member C and projecting outwardly ol: the housing through a bearing G carried by a sleeve i on thc cap piece 2:5 ot the housing. Assuming that the chamber lr contains oil or ny other suitable hydraulic medium -and that the valve F is adjusted in such :t

position that the orifices il in same are in registration with thc ports l) in the partition 5. the driven member (l will romain at rest whc tbc drivingr member B is set in motion, due` ot course. to the tact that the hydraulic, medium in the recess lil can escape trccly from said recess through the ports il and 9i and cuter tho chamber (l when said hydraulic medium is subjected to pressure ot one olE the devices D. `produced by the movcment ot the driving mcmbcr ll relatively to the driven member.

d If it is desired to set the driven member C in motion, the valve F is moved into such a position that solid portions of same par tially overlap the recesses 9 in the partition 5, thereby retarding the escape of the hydraulic medium 'from the recess E in the driving member when one ot the vanes D on the driven member enters said recess. Assuming that the ports 9 in the partition 5 are partly closed and that one of the vanos D has entered the recess E. which is then illed V'with the hydraulic medium. thc pressure which said hydraulic medium `avertis on`said vane will cause the driven member to start to rotate and continue to move with the driving 4member until the hydraulic.

medium has been completely expelled from t-he recess E by the pressure which the vane exerts on said hydraulic medium, the driven member being given a forward impulse each time the recess E in the driving member comes into co-operation with one of the vanes D. Owing to the tact that the rate at which the hydraulic medium escapes from the recess E during the time one of the vanes D on the driven member is traversing said recess is governed by the position ot the valve F, it is obvious that by turning said valve F so as to further reduce the eii'ective area of the ports 9 in the partition 5, the speed of the driven member can be increased.. When the valve F is moved into such a p'osition that the solid portions ot same close the ports 9, the escape of the hydraulic medium from the recess E will be cut off, thereby causing the hydraulic medium in said recess to act substantially like a hydraulic ram to transmit movement from the driving member to the drivenmember through the blade D which is then positioned in the recess E. To reduce the speed of the driven member it is only necessary to move the valve F so as to partly open the ports 9 and permit the hydraulic medium in the recess E to escape therefrom into the chamber G, thus causing the driven member C to lag and finally come to rest after the valve F has been moved into position to bring the orifices 9a in same into full registration with the ports 9.

An apparatus of the construction above described can be used as a clutch for connecting a driving member to a driven member in various kinds of structures where it is essential that there will be some iiexibility between the drivingand driven members, and it can also be used as a transmission mechanism in a structure such as a power-operated vehicle, wherein it is desirable to have the driven member operate at a slower speed than the driving member under certain conditions. The apparatus can be manufactured at a low cost, due to the fact that it is composed of only a few partel and it is not liable to get out of order when in service, as the parts constituting the same are of such design that they can be made ot verv rugged construction.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An apparatus ot' the character described, comprising a cylindrical housing provided at one end with a chamber that is adapted t-o contain a hydraulic medium, a driving member and a driven member arranged one within the other in concentric relation and positioned inside of said housing at one side ot said chamber, the outer member having a space on the interior ot saine that is adapted to receive the hydraulic medium in said chamber, a device projectingV outwardly from the exterior ot the inner member that is adapted to enter said space, ports in one of the side walls of said chamber through which the hydraulic medium is admitted to or discharged from one end of said space, and a valve for controlling the flow ol th-e hydraulic medium through said ports.

,2. An apparatus ot the character described, comprising a driving meniber and a driven member' arranged one within the other in concentric relation, the outer member having a cylindrical shell inside ot which the inner member fits snugly, a space in the inner side of the cylindrical shell ot said outer member that is adapted to contain a hydraulic medium, a device on the inner member projecting radially therefrom, that is adapted to enter said space and traverse same when one of said members is moving relatively to the other, a chamber at one end ot' said members for containing` a hydraulic medium, and means for establishing` or cutting` oli' communication between said chainber and one end oiL said space whereby the hydraulic medium can either be admitted to said space and trapped therein or caused to escape from said space back into said chamber at such a rate that it will co-ope ate with said device to transmit movement trom the driving member to the driven member.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a cylindrical driving member and a cylindrical driven member arranged one within the other in concentric relation, a recess in the inner surface of the outer member ot substantially hypen bolic form adapted to contain a hydraulic medium, a device on the inner member projecting' radially therefrom and adapted to enter said recess and means tor rausing said hydraulic medium to enter one end ot said recess and either be trapper therein or caused to escape in the reverse direction from said recess.

4. An apparatus ot the character dcscribed, comprising` a cylindrical rotatable driving member, a cylindrical. driven member rotatably mounted in said driving inember and arranged in concentric relation with same, a space Yformed in the interior ot the cylindrical wall ot said driving member that is adapted to contain a hydraulic me dium, radially-disposed devices on the dri en member that are adapted to enter said space and traverse same when one ot said members turns relatively to the other, and means arranged at one end ot said space for causing the hydraulic medium in said spa-ce to cooperate with the device in the space to transmit movement from the driving member to the driven member.

5. An apparatus for the purpose described, consisting ot a housing, a driving member rotatably mounted in said housing and comprising a cylindrical shell that lits snugly inside of said housing, said shell being provided on its interior with a longitudinally-disposed recess of substantially hyperbolic shape in transverse cross section, a chamber in said housing at one end of' said driving member, that is adapted to contain a hydraulic medium, a cylindrical driven member rotatably mounted in said driving a member and arranged in concentric relation With same, radially-disposed, spring-pressed blades on said driven member that Vare adapted to enter said recessand traverse same When one of said members rotates relatively to the other, and means whereby the hydraulic medium in said chamber can be admitted to one end of said recess and either" trapped therein or caused to escape from the same end of said recess and iioiv slowing back into said chamber when one of the blades on the driven member is traversing said recess so as to transmit movement from the driving member to the Ydriven member.

6. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a housing, a rotatable driving member in said housing provided on its interior with a recess of substantially hyperbolic shape in transverse cross section, a partition iny said housing that separates said driving member from a chamber in the housing that is adapted to contain a hydraulic medium, ports in said partition that establish communication between said chamber and the recess in said driving inenilwr. a driven member rotatably mounted in the driving member, radially-disposed, springactuated blades on said driven member that are adapted to enter and traverse the recess in said driving member when said driving member moves relatively to the driven incinber, and a valve for controlling said ports.

7. An apparatus ot' the character described, comprising a housing, a hollow, cylindrical-shaped driving member rotatably mounted in said housing and provided on its interior with a longitudinally-disposed recess ol substantially hylcierbolic shape in transverse cross section, a driven member rotatably mounted in said driving member provided with a plurality ot' radially-disposed, spring-pressed blades whose outer edges bear against the interior ot said driving member, a transverse partition in said housing that forms a chamber at one end of same that .is adapted to contain n hydranliiI medium, ports in said partition that establish communication between said chamber and the recess in said driving member, and an oscillating valve arranged in sliding engagement with said partition for controlling the ports therein.

ARTHUR E. HOLBINlOK. 

